albert savarus-第4章

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But　Monsieur　Savaron　procured　the　poor　man's　acquittal　by　proving　his
innocence　and　showing　that　he　had　been　a　tool　in　the　hands　of　the　real
culprits。　Not　only　did　his　line　of　defence　succeed；　but　it　led　to　the
arrest　of　two　of　the　witnesses；　who　were　proved　guilty　and　condemned。
His　speech　struck　the　Court　and　the　jury。　One　of　these；　a　merchant；
placed　a　difficult　case　next　day　in　the　hands　of　Monsieur　Savaron；　and
he　won　it。　In　the　position　in　which　we　found　ourselves；　Monsieur
Berryer　finding　it　impossible　to　come　to　Besancon；　Monsieur　de
Garcenault　advised　him　to　employ　this　Monsieur　Albert　Savaron；
foretelling　our　success。　As　soon　as　I　saw　him　and　heard　him；　I　felt
faith　in　him；　and　I　was　not　wrong。〃

〃Is　he　then　so　extraordinary？〃　asked　Madame　de　Chavoncourt。

〃Certainly；　madame；〃　replied　the　Vicar…General。

〃Well；　tell　us　about　it；〃　said　Madame　de　Watteville。

〃The　first　time　I　saw　him；〃　said　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　〃he　received　me
in　his　outer　room　next　the　ante…roomold　Galard's　drawing…roomwhich
he　has　had　painted　like　old　oak；　and　which　I　found　entirely　lined　with
law…books；　arranged　on　shelves　also　painted　as　old　oak。　The　painting
and　the　books　are　the　sole　decoration　of　the　room；　for　the　furniture
consists　of　an　old　writing　table　of　carved　wood；　six　old　armchairs
covered　with　tapestry；　window　curtains　of　gray　stuff　bordered　with
green；　and　a　green　carpet　over　the　floor。　The　ante…room　stove　heats
this　library　as　well。　As　I　waited　there　I　did　not　picture　my　advocate
as　a　young　man。　But　this　singular　setting　is　in　perfect　harmony　with
his　person；　for　Monsieur　Savaron　came　out　in　a　black　merino　dressing…
gown　tied　with　a　red　cord；　red　slippers；　a　red　flannel　waistcoat；　and
a　red　smoking…cap。〃

〃The　devil's　colors！〃　exclaimed　Madame　de　Watteville。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Abbe；　〃but　a　magnificent　head。　Black　hair　already
streaked　with　a　little　gray；　hair　like　that　of　Saint　Peter　and　Saint
Paul　in　pictures；　with　thick　shining　curls；　hair　as　stiff　as　horse…
hair；　a　round　white　throat　like　a　woman's；　a　splendid　forehead；
furrowed　by　the　strong　median　line　which　great　schemes；　great
thoughts；　deep　meditations　stamp　on　a　great　man's　brow；　an　olive
complexion　marbled　with　red；　a　square　nose；　eyes　of　flame；　hollow
cheeks；　with　two　long　lines；　betraying　much　suffering；　a　mouth　with　a
sardonic　smile；　and　a　small　chin；　narrow；　and　too　short；　crow's　feet
on　his　temples；　deep…set　eyes；　moving　in　their　sockets　like　burning
balls；　but；　in　spite　of　all　these　indications　of　a　violently
passionate　nature；　his　manner　was　calm；　deeply　resigned；　and　his　voice
of　penetrating　sweetness；　which　surprised　me　in　Court　by　its　easy
flow；　a　true　orator's　voice；　now　clear　and　appealing；　sometimes
insinuating；　but　a　voice　of　thunder　when　needful；　and　lending　itself
to　sarcasm　to　become　incisive。

〃Monsieur　Albert　Savaron　is　of　middle　height；　neither　stout　nor　thin。
And　his　hands　are　those　of　a　prelate。

〃The　second　time　I　called　on　him　he　received　me　in　his　bed…room；
adjoining　the　library；　and　smiled　at　my　astonishment　when　I　saw　there
a　wretched　chest　of　drawers；　a　shabby　carpet；　a　camp…bed；　and　cotton
window…curtains。　He　came　out　of　his　private　room；　to　which　no　one　is
admitted；　as　Jerome　informed　me；　the　man　did　not　go　in；　but　merely
knocked　at　the　door。

〃The　third　time　he　was　breakfasting　in　his　library　on　the　most　frugal
fare；　but　on　this　occasion；　as　he　had　spent　the　night　studying　our
documents；　as　I　had　my　attorney　with　me；　and　as　that　worthy　Monsieur
Girardet　is　long…winded；　I　had　leisure　to　study　the　stranger。　He
certainly　is　no　ordinary　man。　There　is　more　than　one　secret　behind
that　face；　at　once　so　terrible　and　so　gentle；　patient　and　yet
impatient；　broad　and　yet　hollow。　I　saw；　too；　that　he　stooped　a　little；
like　all　men　who　have　some　heavy　burden　to　bear。〃

〃Why　did　so　eloquent　a　man　leave　Paris？　For　what　purpose　did　he　come
to　Besancon？〃　asked　pretty　Madame　de　Chavoncourt。　〃Could　no　one　tell
him　how　little　chance　a　stranger　has　of　succeeding　here？　The　good
folks　of　Besancon　will　make　use　of　him；　but　they　will　not　allow　him　to
make　use　of　them。　Why；　having　come；　did　he　make　so　little　effort　that
it　needed　a　freak　of　the　President's　to　bring　him　forward？〃

〃After　carefully　studying　that　fine　head；〃　said　the　Abbe；　looking
keenly　at　the　lady　who　had　interrupted　him；　in　such　a　way　as　to
suggest　that　there　was　something　he　would　not　tell；　〃and　especially
after　hearing　him　this　morning　reply　to　one　of　the　bigwigs　of　the
Paris　Bar；　I　believe　that　this　man；　who　may　be　five…and…thirty；　will
by　and　by　make　a　great　sensation。〃

〃Why　should　we　discuss　him？　You　have　gained　your　action；　and　paid
him；〃　said　Madame　de　Watteville；　watching　her　daughter；　who；　all　the
time　the　Vicar…General　had　been　speaking；　seemed　to　hang　on　his　lips。

The　conversation　changed；　and　no　more　was　heard　of　Albert　Savaron。

The　portrait　sketched　by　the　cleverest　of　the　Vicars…General　of　the
diocese　had　all　the　greater　charm　for　Rosalie　because　there　was　a
romance　behind　it。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　had　come　across
the　marvelous；　the　exceptional；　which　smiles　on　every　youthful
imagination；　and　which　curiosity；　so　eager　at　Rosalie's　age；　goes
forth　to　meet　half…way。　What　an　ideal　being　was　this　Albertgloomy；
unhappy；　eloquent；　laborious；　as　compared　by　Mademoiselle　de
Watteville　to　that　chubby　fat　Count；　bursting　with　health；　paying
compliments；　and　talking　of　the　fashions　in　the　very　face　of　the
splendor　of　the　old　counts　of　Rupt。　Amedee　had　cost　her　many　quarrels
and　scoldings；　and；　indeed；　she　knew　him　only　too　well；　while　this
Albert　Savaron　offered　many　enigmas　to　be　solved。

〃Albert　Savaron　de　Savarus；〃　she　repeated　to　herself。

Now；　to　see　him；　to　catch　sight　of　him！　This　was　the　desire　of　the
girl　to　whom　desire　was　hitherto　unknown。　She　pondered　in　her　heart；
in　her　fancy；　in　her　brain；　the　least　phrases　used　by　the　Abbe　de
Grancey；　for　all　his　words　had　told。

〃A　fine　forehead！〃　said　she　to　herself；　looking　at　the　head　of　every
man　seated　at　the　table；　〃I　do　not　see　one　fine　one。Monsieur　de
Soulas'　is　too　prominent；　Monsieur　de　Grancey's　is　fine；　but　he　is
seventy；　and　has　no　hair；　it　is　impossible　to　see　where　his　forehead
ends。〃

〃What　is　the　matter；　Rosalie；　you　are　eating　nothing？〃

〃I　am　not　hungry；　mamma；〃　said　she。　〃A　prelate's　hands〃　she　went
on　to　herself。　〃I　cannot　remember　our　handsome　Archbishop's　hands；
though　he　confirmed　me。〃

Finally；　in　the　midst　of　her　coming　and　going　in　the　labyrinth　of　her
meditations；　she　remembered　a　lighted　window　she　had　seen　from　her
bed；　gleaming　through　the　trees　of　the　two　adjoining　gardens；　when　she
had　happened　to　wake　in　the　night。　。　。　。　〃Then　that　was　his　light！〃
thought　she。　〃I　might　see　him！I　will　see　him。〃

〃Monsieur　de　Grancey；　is　the　Chapter's　lawsuit　quite　settled？〃　said
Rosalie　point…blank　to　the　Vicar…General；　during　a　moment　of　silence。

Madame　de　Watteville　exchanged　rapid　glances　with　the　Vicar…General。

〃What　can　that　matter　to　you；　my　dear　child？〃　she　said　to　Rosalie；
with　an　affected　sweetness　which　made　her　daughter　cautious　for　the
rest　of　her　days。

〃It　might　be　carried　to　the　Court　of　Appeal；　but　our　adversaries　will
think　twice　about　that；〃　replied　the　Abbe。

〃I　never　could　have　believed　that　Rosalie　would　think　about　a　lawsuit
all　through　a　dinner；〃　remarked　Madame　de　Watteville。

〃Nor　I　either；〃　said　Rosalie；　in　a　dreamy　way　that　made　every　one
laugh。　〃But　Monsieur　de　Grancey　was　so　full　of　it；　that　I　was
interested。〃

The　company　rose　from　table　and　returned　to　the　drawing…room。　All
through　the　evening　Rosalie　listened　in　case　Albert　Savaron　should　be
mentioned　again；　but　beyond　the　congratulations　offered　by　each
newcomer　to　the　Abbe　on　having　gained　his　suit；　to　which　no　one　added
any　praise　of　the　advocate；　no　more　was　said　about　it。　Mademoiselle　de
Watteville　impatiently　looked　forward　to　bedtime。　She　had　promised
herself　to　wake　at　between　two　and　three　in　the　morning；　and　to　look
at　Albert's　dressing…room　windows。　When　the　hour　came；　she　felt　almost
pleasure　in　gazing　at　the　glimmer　from　the　lawyer's　candles　that　shone
through　the　trees；　now　almost　bare　of　their　leaves。　By　the　help　of　the
strong　sight　of　a　young　girl；　which　curiosity　seems　to　make　longer；
she　saw　Albert　writing；　and　fancied　she　could　distinguish　the　color　of
the　furniture；　which　she　thought　was　red。　From　the　chimney　above　the
roof　rose　a　thick　column　of　smoke。

〃While　all　the　world　is　sleeping；　he　is　awakelike　God！〃　thought　she。

The　education　of　girls　brings　with　it　such　serious　problemsfor　the
future　of　a　nation　is　in　the　motherthat　the　University　of　France
long　since　set　itself　the　task　of　having　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Here
is　one　of　these　problems：　Ought　girls　to　be　informed　on　all　points？
Ought　their　minds　to　be　under　restraint？　It　need　not　be　said　that　the
religious　system　is　one　of　restraint。　If　you　enlighten　them；　you　make
them　demons　before　their　time；　if　you　keep　them　from　thinking；　you　end
in　the　sudden　explosion　so　well　shown　by　Moliere　in　the　character　of
Agnes；　and　you　leave　this　suppressed　mind；　so　fresh　and　clear…seeing；
as　swift　and　as　logical　as　that　of　a　savage；　at　the　mercy　of　an
accident。　This　inevitable　crisis　was　brought　on　in　Mademoiselle　de
Watteville　by　the　portrait　which　one　of　the　most　prudent　Abbes　of　the
Chapter　of　Besancon　imprudently　allowed　himself　to　sketch　at　a　dinner
party。

Next　morning；　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville；　while　dressing；　necessarily
looked　out　at　Albert　Savaron　walking　in　the　garden　adjoining　that　of
the　Hotel　de　Rupt。

〃What　would　have　become　of　me；〃　thought　she；　〃if　he　had　lived　anywhere
else？　Here　I　can；　at　any　rate；　see　him。What　is　he　thinking　about？〃

Having　seen　this　extraordinary　man；　though　at　a　distance；　the　only　man
whose　countenance　stood　forth　in　contrast　with　crowds　of　Besancon
faces　she　had　hitherto　met　with；　Rosalie　at　once　jumped　at　the　idea　of
getting　into　his　house；　of　ascertaining　the　reason　of　so　much　mystery；
of　hearing　that　eloquent　voice；　of　winning　a　glance　from　those　fine
eyes。　All　this　she　set　her　heart　on；　but　how　could　she　achieve　it？

All　that　day　she　drew　her　needle　through　her　embroidery　with　the
obtuse　concentration　of　a　girl　who；　like　Agnes；　seems　to　be　thinking
of　nothing；　but　who　is　reflecting　on　things　in　general　so　deeply；　that
her　artifice　is　unfailing。　As　a　result　of　this　profound　meditation；
Rosalie　thought　she　would　go　to　confession。　Next　morning；　after　Mass；
she　had　a　brief　interview　with　the　Abbe　Giroud　at　Saint…Pierre；　and
managed　so　ingeniously　that　the　hour　of　her　confession　was　fixed　for
Sunday　morning　at　half…past　seven；　before　the　eight　o'clock　Mass。　She
committed　herself　to　a　dozen　fibs　in　order　to　find　herself；　just　for
once；　in　the　church　at　the　hour　when　the　lawyer　came　to　Mass。　Then　she
was　seized　with　an　impulse　of　extreme　affection　for　her　father；　she
went　to　see　him　in　his　workroom；　and　asked　him　for　all　sorts　of
information　on　the　art　of　turning；　ending　by　advising　him　to　turn
larger　pieces；　columns。　After　persuading　her　father　to　set　to　work　on
some　twisted　pillars；　one　of　the　difficulties　of　the　turner's　art；　she
suggested　that　he　shoul